Pretty Schoolgirl Soldiers  Sailor Moon!
by Bill The Bard
Summary: What do you get when the girls of Negima take the places of the Sailor Senshi? Read and find out! KonoSetsu, other pairings to follow.
1. Chapter 1

Obligatory disclaimer : Negima and the characters therein do not belong to me, they are the property of Ken Akamatsu. Sailor Moon is the property of Naoko Takeuchi. No money is being made from this, so suing me is pointless.

This is a Negima/Sailor Moon fusion story, and contains shoujoai/yuri - that means girl/girl relationships and possibly some physical action. If that sort of thing offends you, please don't read this - and don't bother reading this, then flaming me, 'cause I'll ignore you.

Romance/comedy/action - getting darker as the story progresses, probably ...

Pretty Schoolgirl Soldiers - Sailor Moon!

Part 1 - The Return Of Sailor M!

"Aaah! I'm gonna be late!" A human whirlwind tore through the dorm room, scattering clothes in all directions, as a white-furred ermine poked his head out of the underwear drawer. A head shot up to glare balefully at him, eyes of blue and green declaring their owner's intent to commit murder. "What the hell are you doing in there, you perving ermine!? And why didn't you wake me up in time for school?!"

Dodging the trainer thrown at him, the ermine hopped down to the floor, lighting a cigar as he did so. "Ane-san, I called you at least three times, and Konoka-san called you as well. You didn't answer any of us, so she left for class. Not our fault, is i - " The second trainer caught him fair and square, knocking him into the wall, as the fuming redhead finished dressing and ran out of the dorm, desperate not to be late to class - again.

The sun 's warm rays were bathing the campus of Mahora Academy in golden light, but the frantically-running girl had no time to admire the view around her. There were other girls also racing to beat the clock to attendance, but Asuna's long legs and speed, honed by many early morning paper-rounds, swiftly carried her past the crowd. Now she could see her target just in front of her.

"Konoka, you baka! You could've waited for me!"

The chocolate-haired girl in front turned her head to meet the angry glare of the taller girl with a beaming smile of her own. "Asuna, you finally made it. We're just in time," she paused to weave her roller-skates around the girl blocking their way, "I knew you'd catch up with me, so I left you to get a few more seconds of sleep."

It was impossible for Asuna to remain angry at her roommate. Konoka was such a sweet, kind soul, always with a smile on her face, always willing to help her friends, it was no wonder she was one of the most popular girls at Mahora Academy. The redhead was glad that Konoka was her roommate, instead of some of the more annoying girls in the class. Case in point : Evangeline, the diminutive vampire who had blocked their path, accompanied by her robotic companion Chachamaru. "Waddya want, fang-girl?" The tone was NOT teasing - Asuna and Evangeline didn't get on at all, the tiny blonde expecting to be treated with a degree of deference which Asuna extended to almost nobody. The vampire-mage had made her displeasure plain, and now they were barely on speaking terms.

The blonde girl glared daggers in retaliation. "Your juvenile insults don't impress anyone, especially not me! Anyway, I'm not waiting for you, so run along - don't want to keep Sensei waiting, now do we?" She smirked at the expression on the redhead's face - Negi Springfield, their ten year old teacher, shared the same room as Asuna and Konoka, and Asuna still found herself regularly annoyed at the young boy for one reason or another, with the result that she struggled to take him seriously as a teacher, especially as he had been made their class teacher instead of Takahata-Sensei, the man she was convinced she was in love with.

"Cow", Asuna muttered under her breath as the two girls ran off in the direction of the classroom. They could already hear Negi-Sensei's voice calling the register, and the door banged loudly open as they hurled themselves through to dive into their seats, anxious to avoid being marked down as late. Everyone else in the class was already there, apart, obviously, from Eva and Chachamaru.

_Whew, made it just in time! I'd hate to be marked down as late again, it just wouldn't impress Takahata-Sensei._ Asuna glanced over at Konoka, just in time to see her best friend look away from another member of the class.

Setsuna Sakurazaki.

Asuna didn't know the black-haired girl, she kept herself aloof from the rest of the class, but it was obvious there was history between the two girls. Konoka had been overjoyed when she'd seen Setsuna for the first time, but the shorter girl had acted as though she barely knew Konoka, and had ever since then treated the Konoe heir with cool politeness, no more. Konoka had been hurt by the rejection, that much was plain to Asuna, and the girl resolved to try to find out what had gone wrong between the two. Konoka was a friend, and she always stood by her friends and helped out if she could. She'd get the story of the two girls from her roommate, then plan a course of action to bring them together again.

But first, class. And her stomach sank as the lesson got underway.

None of her classmates knew it, but Asuna Kagurazaka had a secret. One she'd had for over a year now. One that, if she told anyone about, she would either be disbelieved, or mobbed, or possibly hunted down and either killed or arrested, depending on who did the hunting.

Asuna was a Magical Girl.

Not just any Magical Girl, either. No, she was the reincarnation of a deceased princess from a time before known history, from a magical kingdom destroyed by a demonic enemy, and a princess of another planet.

Asuna, in short, was the infamous Magical girl, Sailor Mars.

Yes, the darling of the tabloid press, at least when she showed up in her rather revealing costume and flashed her panties in battles with tentacled monsters, anyway. Less popular when those same battles ended up levelling half a city block. That's the press for you ...

Anyway, Asuna was Sailor Mars, and had a Magical Girl's companion to prove it - a talking ermine named Chamo, short for Albert Chamomile.

Said ermine was a cigar-smoking pervert with a fetish for schoolgirl's panties, but at least he talked. And knew something about magic. And could recite information about that long-lost Moon Kingdom of which Asuna was a reincarnated princess. And gave advice.

Given the result of some of his advice, that was, at best, a mixed blessing. Still, he was Asuna's advisor and she could turn to him for help.

When he wasn't poking through her panty drawer.

_Down to business. The spells indicate the Moon Princess is quite close already, but Mahora is a large campus. It's going to take time to find her, unless we get lucky - and luck's unreliable. So, if I use the location spell and lower strengths, from different parts of the campus, I can try to get a better fix on where the princess might be._

_Unfortunately, that means I'll have to leave these nice, warm panties. Damn._

"It's turned out a beautiful day after all, hasn't it?"

Asuna glanced over at her companion, then smiled as she looked up at the cloudless sky. "Yes, it certainly has." The two girls spent a few moments just revelling in the warmth of the sun's rays, eyes closed, clothes and hair gently ruffling in the breeze that blew across the campus. They'd originally planned to find themselves somewhere shady, somewhere under a tree, but the sunshine had been too inviting for that. Instead they'd found a nice spot to lie down in the sun, and just relax in the warmth. Gradually, they both felt their awareness drifting away ...

"_Firespear!" A shaft of flame leapt from her outstretched hand towards the misshapen creature roaring its defiance at the surrounding figures. The fiery spear plunged deep into the body of the beast, and red flames erupted from the injured area. The youma screeched in pain, and tried to slash at the attacker with one of its long tentacles, but before it could strike home, a black-armoured figure leapt past her and struck off the limb with one sweep of a long, curved blade. Behind her, Mars could hear her princess casting her own spell to finish the enemy ..._

Blinking in surprise, Asuna looked up at the sky, needing a few moments to work out where she was._ Woah, where did THAT come from?! I mean, I know Chamo says there were nine of us back then, but he never said anything about someone in armour using a big-ass sword! And that was a guy, by the look of things! What the hell?! _

She sat up, rubbing her eyes to clear the sleep still lingering in her head. Then she turned to look at her friend.

The brown-haired girl lay fast asleep in the sunshine, a smile on her face, and Asuna grinned. It never did take much to make the other girl smile, something she was always glad about whenever she herself was in a bad mood, or upset and angry. Konoka had a way of making things seem better simply by being around, and the hot-tempered Asuna had found herself becoming just that little bit more relaxed and easygoing around people than she had been before meeting her new best friend.

With a sigh, Konoka lazily opened her eyes, and grinned up at Asuna. "It's not time to go back inside yet, is it?"

"Nope, I just had this weird dream ..."

"Oh really?" Konoka shot up at that, white teeth gleaming as she smiled widely at her friend. "So, anyone cute in it?"

"Jeez Konoka, is that all you ever think ab-aargh!" The redhead jumped as if she'd been electrocuted, and Konoka turned her head, squealing in sudden fright as she caught sight of the girl standing not five feet away, gazing down at them both.

"M-Mana-san, what are you doing here?"

"Forgive me, Konoka-san, but your grandfather wishes to see you."

She sighed. Not another Omiai? Would he NEVER give up, or at least find someone better than he usually came up with? "Okay, I'm going. Bye Asuna, I'll see you later." With that, the girl hauled herself to her feet and headed reluctantly off to her grandfather's study.

Sighing at the interruption, Asuna also climbed to her feet, nodding at the dark-skinned gunwoman, and headed off towards her dorm. She had questions she wanted answers to, and Chamo was, unfortunately, her best source of information.

Mana watched them go, then turned her gaze upon another figure, a slim, black-haired girl who watched Konoka walk past, then, some distance behind, began to follow, long, thin bundle slung over her shoulder as always.

The interior of the shrine was cool, the walls blocking out the sun whilst allowing the breeze to sweep through the rooms, carrying with it the sweet scent of summer flowers and the gentle buzzing of insects. For the girl gazing into the Sacred Fire, this was the calm before the storm - she knew that both from her own prophetic dreams and from what the Fire had revealed to her.

Now her task was to ensure that those upon whose shoulders the coming war would fall were strong enough to fulfil their destiny.

The sound of two other people entering the shrine brought her head up, and she looked towards the open doorway, waiting as the newcomers entered and seated themselves on the ground. Though they were here at her request, there was still time for them to take tea with her.

They drank in silence, neither of the newcomers feeling the need to break that silence with questions that, in any case, might not be answered by their enigmatic host. When the cups were empty, they placed them down on the ground in front of themselves, and waited, no impatience showing on their demeanours.

"The Dark Queen is awakening." The miko's voice cut through the silence, but her two companions didn't flinch.

"And the Moon Princess?" The girl with long, black hair was the one to ask the question, and the miko turned to her to answer.

"Her consciousness stirs. As she awakens, the rest of the Senshi will begin to regain their memories."

"What of the Prince of Earth?" This time it was the girl with short hair who asked. The miko smiled slightly, surprising her two companions.

"Closer than you might think ... "

"I'm telling you, ane-san, there were only nine planetary princesses. Mercury, Venus, Moon, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto. Pluto was hardly ever around - and when she was, it was usually a sign that the shit was about to hit the fan. Uranus and Neptune were often off patrolling the outer solar system and Saturn - " the ermine shuddered, "- Saturn was never awakened during the Silver Millennium. Too dangerous."

Asuna rubbed her forehead to try to ease the tension that had taken up residence there. "No guys, huh? Damn. I must've been - wait a minute. You never said anything about Earth, why not?" She slumped back down on the floor of the dorm room, frustration written all over her face. They seemed to be getting nowhere with teasing out the meaning of her dream, and she was starting to get hungry. Hunger, in turn, made her irritable. She threw her head back in exasperation, the small bells in her hair tinkling with the sudden movement. Closing her eyes, she simply turned her face to the ceiling, a frown marring her face.

Chamo sighed. He was sure he'd mentioned this before, but his charge never seemed to remember his lessons, any more than she tried to remember what she learnt in class. "Earth never had a princess. In fact, the Moon Kingdom never had dealings with Earth - it was considered too barbaric, too violent to be associated with" Though to be honest, there was something about that short history which seemed incomplete to the ermine, but for the life of him, he couldn't remember what was missing.

"Well, SOME guy was in my dream, dammit! And if it WAS a memory of the Silver Millennium, like you say my dreams often are, then he WAS there, and I WANT TO KNOW WHO IT WAS!" The flat of her hand hit the floor with a loud smack, making Chamo dive for cover - an instinctive reaction whenever Asuna got angry.

"Know who WHO was?" The girl and the ermine jumped apart as if stung as the open door admitted Konoka to the dorm room. Pushing it shut behind her, she didn't see a shadow down the corridor move away ...

"Umm, no-one Konoka-chan! Just ... um, someone I saw quoted in a paper!" _Oh, quick thinking, Asuna! I mean, Konoka's really going to fall for THAT - _

"Oh, okay." And with that, the brunette began pulling off her uniform. "So, what do you want to eat tonight?"

_She fell for it?? _"Uh, I'll leave it up to you."

"Sure!" And with that, the cheerful girl stepped into the kitchen to begin making dinner, leaving a somewhat bemused Asuna staring after her.

The girl walked across the darkened plaza, willing herself not to turn her head, telling herself that she was being silly, that there was absolutely NOTHING following her.

She didn't believe herself.

Still, this was Mahora Academy, there were security patrols all the time, there wouldn't be anything DANGEROUS here, now would there? Grandpa wouldn't allow anything to -

"Sooo, prey at last!" The voice was soft, cold, and oh so cruel. Eyes widening with fright, the girl spun to look to her left, just in time to see a dark figure leap from the shadows and throw her to the ground, the breath knocked out of her lungs before she could scream for help. Dazed, she could only look up at her attacker in horror as it loomed over her, an inky darkness blacker than the night, sickly green eyes the only thing discernible about it. It bent over her, black tendrils for claws outstretched to rend and tear as it's mouth opened, the breath like an open grave.

"Now I shall feast as I was pro - "

"HOLD IT RIGHT THERE, BUTT-UGLY!" Both the predator and the victim's heads whipped round to stare at the newcomer in disbelief.

"NEVER FEAR! SAILOR M IS HERE!"

Btw, the attacks used in this fic are NOT the same as SM - it's an AU story, in case you're wondering why.

And so the first Senshi is introduced - and we all know who it is, already! But who are the three strangers at the shrine? And who is the Moon Princess?? And how did the - whatever-it-is - get past the guards and patrols?!

Tune in next time for another exciting episode of - 'Pretty Schoolgirl Soldiers - Sailor Moon!'


	2. Chapter 2

Obligatory disclaimer : Negima and the characters therein do not belong to me, they are the property of Ken Akamatsu. Sailor Moon is the property of Naoko Takeuchi. No money is being made from this, so suing me is pointless.

This is a Negima/Sailor Moon fusion story, and contains shoujoai/yuri - that means girl/girl relationships and possibly some physical action. If that sort of thing offends you, please don't read this - and don't bother reading this, then flaming me, 'cause I'll ignore you.

Btw, the attacks used in this fic are NOT the same as SM - it's an AU story, in case you're wondering why.

Pretty Schoolgirl Soldier - Sailor Moon!

Part 2 - Battle Is Joined! Mysterious Stranger Number One!

"NEVER FEAR! SAILOR M IS HERE!"

Konoka stared at the newcomer. For some strange reason, she felt a sense of familiarity, a feeling that she should KNOW the daringly-dressed girl with the overlarge sword held in two hands. More than that, though was the feeling that there was something that she, herself, was now expected to do, though the brown-haired girl had no idea what that 'something' was. But for some unknown reason, she found herself looking behind the redhead, a faint afterimage of another four girls dressed similarly to Sailor M. _But who are they, and why do I think I should see them?_

"Okay, butt-ugly, this is where you get your head handed to you!" Holding her massive blade over her head, Sailor Mars pointed at the demon with one free hand and shouted "_Fire dart_!" From the palm of her hand leapt a glowing bolt of orange-red fire, hissing as it sped towards the demon's head. With an angry growl the monster dodged aside, them howled in rage as it sprang at Mars' throat.

Mars parried the attack, then countered with a strike to the beast's neck, but much to her concern, the creature was too fast for her to hit, and its counterattack hit the armoured shoulder protector, knocking her back several steps. It took advantage of her being off-balanced to strike at her legs, drawing blood from a long, shallow cut, then a blindingly fast claw nearly hit her eyes, Mars barely managing to side-step the attack.

_I've got to take this thing more seriously than I have - it's a lot faster and stronger than the low-level demons I've dealt with in the past. _Mars stepped back, and back again, her blade swinging in front of her as a shield as she probed the demon's defences, trying to find a chink in its armour that she could exploit.

Konoka watched from the sidelines, forgotten by the two combatants, her heart in her mouth as the bestial demon pressed Sailor Mars back and back. She wanted desperately to help the redhead in the fuku who had bravely come to her aid, but she knew that she had no fighting skills or magic power that could turn the tide of the battle. Unconsciously her hand rose to her neck, as if searching for something that should be hanging there ...

_Dammit! This thing is FAST and damn STRONG with it! I gotta do something, quick! _Mars waited for the beast to lunge at her again, and switched tactics. Instead of fending it off as she had been doing, she brought the flat of the blade across her body as a shield, and threw herself forward, trying to knock the demon off its feet with her own weight and strength. That, at least, was the theory. Unfortunately, theory and reality came rapidly into conflict, with theory the loser.

The impact of the demon's heavyset and muscular body knocked Mars off her feet and back into a tree, head connecting solidly with the trunk, dazing the redhead.

"Mars!" Konoka ran forward, reacting too quickly to realise just how stupid her action was. The bestial demon spun, roaring, fangs dripping saliva, and sprang at her throat. Terrified, Konoka had no time to dodge, no time to scream -

Before a volley of gleaming blades tore into its hide.

The dark figure had been following the chestnut-haired girl from the shadows of the woods, moving so silently that the Konoe heiress had no idea that the person was there. Precisely WHY they were following the girl was something that even the person concerned didn't fully understand, the overriding necessity to protect Konoka Konoe being accepted without question. The girl never noticed her shadow following her everywhere around Mahora Academy, protecting her from the shadows. And that was how her unknown guardian wanted it to remain.

When the demon had attacked Konoka, her shadower had made to jump to the helpless girl's defence, but the intervention of Sailor Mars had caused the protector to hesitate, then decide to take a vantage point up in a tree, from where the guardian could intervene if necessary, meanwhile simply watching the combat's progress. But from depths of memory previously untapped came images of battles fought long ago, deadly enemies slain in battles both physical and magical. And the clothing of the shadowy figure began to change ...

_What?! Why am I wearing a tuxedo?! I wasn't wearing this before! And where did these blades come from?! I've never trained with these, so why do I now have a handful of - _

The scream from below brought the tuxedo-clad figure's attention to the battle site below, and dark eyes widened at the sight of Konoka, unprotected, standing defenceless as the demon sprang to kill her. A hand shot out, and blades flashed in the moonlight.

_What the - ?! Who the hell is that, and where did they come from?! Ah hell with it, they're on our side, by the looks of it!_ Mars rolled to her feet, shaking her head to clear the stars still obscuring her vision, as a tuxedoed figure leapt down from the trees, long, gleaming blade in hand, and a second spray of spinning knives volleyed into the demon, which screeched in pain, bellowed a challenge, and charged the newcomer, jaws agape.

The stranger stood waiting, no-dachi held at shoulder height, face covered by a black half-mask covering even the eyes, dark tuxedo formfitting over a slim body, black hair pulled back on one side. Mars felt a tingle down her spine, the feeling that she should KNOW the person behind the mask, but somehow just couldn't make the connection. Blue and green eyes widened as the figure just stood there, unmoving, as the demon charged howling its challenge. Konoka prepared to scream a warning to the newcomer, but no sound came from her tight throat. The beast lunged, massive jaws snapped shut -

- onto the blade of the no-dachi, as the suited figure slipped aside with casual grace. There was a pause, as the demon realised what was to happen next, then the tuxedo-clad figure whipped the blade out, cutting through the roof of the beast's mouth and taking several teeth with it. A bloody foam erupted from the monster's gaping maw, as the masked figure called over to Mars, "now, whilst it's distracted, finish it!"

"Gotcha!" the redhead shouted back and, jumping high, she brought her outsized blade down through the demon's spine, cutting it in half with one blow. A mournful howl, and the demon shuddered and fell to the ground, forepaws feebly clawing at the ground before stilling, dark blood pooling on the ground.

"It's dead! Thank the Kami for - hey, where the hell are you going?!"

Ignoring Mars' shout, the dark-clad figure disappeared into the trees, the tantos buried in the demon's corpse vanishing like mist, leaving no trace of the stranger's intervention.

"W-wait! You don't have to - " But Konoka's shout was too late, the masked stranger was gone. The chocolate-haired girl came to stand next to Mars, both girls staring after the disappeared figure who had come to their aid.

"Who was that masked man, anyway?!" Mars paused, looking puzzled. "And why do I have the sudden urge to start humming 'The William Tell Overture'?!" [1

"It seems my 'pet' has been destroyed. How ... unfortunate." The words were whispered in a soft voice, yet, in the all-encompassing silence of the darkness, they carried to all corners of the black throne room. There was a shifting of figures in the shadows around the throne, but nothing was said, no noise made. The figure on the throne sat back, gripping the arms of the massive stone edifice upon which she was seated.

"Perhaps a suggestion, then, my Queen." At the quiet tones, eyes opened, shutters rolling back to reveal the madness beneath.

"A suggestion? By all means, then, make it."

"Perhaps a scout should be sent, to ascertain how the demon was destroyed, what defences they have. We know the Time Witch is active, but now how many others? Best to find out how strong the opposition is before we send more attackers to kill the Moon Princess." The speaker could barely be made out through the gloom, but the dark Queen knew him well enough to consider his words thoughtfully.

"Who would you suggest?"

"My Queen, I would send ... "

"Konoka?! Are you okay?! What happened?!" Asuna ran to the shorter girl, grabbing her by the shoulders and examining her carefully. The brunette smiled cheerfully and removed the redhead's hands from her, hands unconsciously dusting dirt and grass from her rumpled, dirty uniform.

"I'm okay, Asuna. Really! There was ... an intruder on campus, one that got past the guards. But Sailor Mars showed up and killed it before I was hurt."

"That's okay then, as long as you're alright." Bells in her hair chiming softly, Asuna turned away, suppressing a grin. _If only she knew ... But I can't tell her, I have to keep my secret ... well, secret._ "Anyway, shall I cook us some - "

"NO! Heh heh," Konoka rubbed her neck, a slight blush on her face, as her roommate turned back to face her, "it's just there's a recipe I'd like to try out tonight, if that's okay with you?"

"Sure." _Good, that changed the subject quite smoothly, though I say so myself - but did she HAVE to be that quick to stop me cooking?_

The dinner was, as was only to be expected, delicious - Konoka Konoe was a very good cook indeed. Relaxing after the meal, she watched Asuna doing the washing up - she was prepared to let the redhead do THAT, at least, but not actually cook - NEVER cook. Not after the time she'd nearly burnt the dormitory building down ...

Scrubbing the dishes, Asuna was deep in thought. Somehow, that demon had managed to get past the wards placed around the Academy by the magical security patrols - something she would have thought impossible. Unless whoever had sent it had used magic to nullify the wards ... That, at least, would make sense. But what had the demon been sent for, that was what was puzzling Asuna now. The way it had spoken before she'd jumped into battle with it, it had been controlled by someone, but who? And what had been its goal?

Chamo hadn't said anything, though whether that was a good thing or not was arguable. The ermine might be a pervert, but he knew a lot about magic, as well as the otherwise forgotten history of the Moon Kingdom. So, either he was waiting for Konoka to be elsewhere, or he had nothing to say about the battle. He'd definitely listened in to the two girls' discussion of the fight, and Asuna had noticed a worried expression on his furry face, but he'd said nothing to her, nor indicated he'd like a word in private. She didn't know whether to be grateful or not.

_The youma screeched in pain, and tried to slash at the attacker with one of its long tentacles, but before it could strike home, a black-armoured figure leapt past her and struck off the limb with one sweep of a long, curved blade. Behind her, Mars could hear her princess casting her own spell to finish the enemy ..._

She blinked, gripping the bowl in white-knuckled hands. The flashback had taken her by surprise with both its force AND its vividness She took a deep breath to steady herself. Then it struck her.

_That blade! It was the same one that ... that Tuxedo Mask bore earlier!_ _It's him! It MUST be him! The guy from my memories! He's back! _She quickly looked over at Konoka, to see if her roommate had noticed her sudden startA wry grin appeared on her face when she saw the chocolate-brown hair spilling over the side of the sofa as the other girl slept peacefully -perhaps not so peacefully, she thought, as the girl on the sofa began murmuring words in her sleep. Though the redhead couldn't completely make out the words, it sounded like a name - Dam, Damien?

_Jewels glittered everywhere, brightly-lit chandeliers casting illumination to all corners of the immense ballroom. The floor swirled with colour as couples danced to the slow, beautiful music of the orchestra. Around the dance floor, people stood drinking from crystal glasses, talking in polite, elegant tones._

_She stood for a moment watching the activity around her. This was supposed to be HER night, her birthday, but suddenly she felt ... distant, apart, as if she didn't really belong there, as if something was missing, though she had no idea what._

_She glanced over to see the Senshi of Mars and Venus arguing as they always did, though she knew they were best friends in reality - and maybe more, if either of them were to admit it. She sighed, feeling a touch of melancholy descend._

"_Pardon me, Your Highness. But I thought it wrong to see one as beautiful as you looking unhappy." Startled, she turned to face the newcomer - and froze. Eyes of deepest crimson looked steadily back at her from a pale, high cheek-boned face beneath hair of purest white, held back by a simple circlet of gold. Clad in elegant, formfitting black, even to gloves on the hands, the figure before her was a contrast to the overdressed courtiers around them in the sheer simplicity of their dress. Before the Princess could regain her scattered wits, the stranger bowed smoothly. "May I have the pleasure of this dance, Your Highness?"_

_So formal, so polite, yet her heart began beating fast as she replied, in a somewhat unsteady voice, "you may, sir. I thank you for your invitation."_

_The two stepped onto the dance floor and began to move together to the music. She was surprised at how well they fit together, strangers as they were. This person - they danced like an angel! She had to know who it was! "Forgive me, sir, but you have the advantage of me. May I know your name?"_

_A smile crossed the delicate, almost feminine face before her." My apologies, Your Highness, please forgive my lack of manners. I am Endymion, Prince of Earth."_

[1 Okay, who gets THAT reference:)

Enter Tuxedo Mask, stage left! But, who is the person behind the mask? Can you guess? (If not, shame on you - how many clues do you need?!)

Tune in next time for another exciting episode of - 'Pretty Schoolgirl Soldiers - Sailor Moon!'


	3. Chapter 3

Obligatory disclaimer : Negima and the characters therein do not belong to me, they are the property of Ken Akamatsu. Sailor Moon is the property of Naoko Takeuchi. No money is being made from this, so suing me is pointless.

This is a Negima/Sailor Moon fusion story, and contains shoujoai/yuri - that means girl/girl relationships and possibly some physical action. If that sort of thing offends you, please don't read this - and don't bother reading this, then flaming me, 'cause I'll ignore you.

Btw, the attacks used in this fic are NOT the same as SM - it's an AU story, in case you're wondering why.

Pretty Schoolgirl Soldier - Sailor Moon!

Part 3 – Aftermath Of Conflict! A Shadow Out Of Time

* * *

The Moon overhead cast a pearly light over the elegant buildings of Mahora Academy, the well-tended trees and gardens, and one lone figure sitting atop the roof of the dormitory. Moonlight cast a shadow down one side of the face in the shape of a bird's wing, matching the dark hair pulled up in a side-knot, and reflected from the polished sword blade lying across the figure's knees.. One hand held the hilt in a firm grip, tilting the blade back and forth, black eyes watching as the pearly light rippled and flowed back and forth across the steel.

_How did that happen? I was about to jump into the fray, and suddenly there were knives in my hand and a tuxedo on my body – but where did they come from? And why did it seem so familiar?_

_Why can't I remember?_

* * *

Tossing and turning, long brown hair spread across the pillow, she tried to sleep, but her thoughts kept her awake, like a burr poking into her. Konoka finally rolled onto her back and stared up at the bed above her, where her red-headed room-mate slept the sleep of the blissfully contented – at least until she had to get out and do her paper round.

_That voice – why is it so familiar? I've never heard it before, I'm sure, and yet it's as if I've known that person all my life. And why did they come to our – no, MY – assistance? They didn't jump in to protect Mars, they fought to defend ME. But why, when I don't know them at all?_

_And what about that dream? Where did THAT come from? That ballroom, those clothes, the music – everything is so crystal clear,like it happened only yesterday, but I know I never went to any ball like -_

_Wait a moment. That person, the one who asked me to dance – it's HIM! The voice, it's the same! HE'S the one who rescued me tonight! What was his name again – Endymion? The Prince in my dream – he saved me tonight!_

_But – why? And how can someone from a dream be real? _

* * *

"My Queen, you called for me?"

"Indeed I did. I have a mission for you."

"Your Will is my command, Dread Majesty."

"Excellent. I wish you to cross the Barrier, and hunt for someone who destroyed one of my youma tonight."

"Of course, my Queen. Who is this person foolish enough to stand against you?"

"Her name, or her identity rather, is Sailor Mars."

A blade was drawn, its edge sharp against the deep shadows all around. "She is already dead, my Queen, though she yet knows it not."

* * *

It was a place outside of normal existence, a place where the rules of the Universe were different, a place where only one person belonged. She stood there now, clad in a sailor fuku and holding on her hand – not a key, not in this incarnation, but something more appropriate to the person wearing the costume.

Before her stood the massive shapes of gigantic Gates, incongruous in a place of glowing mists and nothing else, but the Gates were the reason for the place to exist at all, and they were the reason for her to have come here, now. Open now, between them images flashed too fast for any normal person to follow, but not too fast for the Mistress of this place outside Time. That was, after all, the reason she'd come here - the fact that the Gates were the best surveillance system that could be found anywhere. Capable of showing any point in space and time, anyone capable of accessing and operating them could find out just about any secret, listen in to any conversation, track any person. It didn't matter how long it took – time itself didn't flow at the normal rate in this place. The Door of Space and Time, or Gates of Time as they were shortened to by those who knew of their existence, were outside of normal space and time and obeyed their own rules.

The dark-skinned Senshi of Time gazed steadily into the Gates, carefully noting the events of the past evening. She watched as Mars struggled to defeat the demon attacking Konoka. She watched as Tuxedo Mask wounded, then disabled the attacker, setting it up for destruction by Mars' sword. She watched as Tuxedo Mask took off, ignoring the shouts of the two girls left behind.

Then, with a simple gesture of her hand, the viewpoint of the Gates changed, showing the interior of Asuna and Konoka's dorm room, where an ermine slept the sleep of the happily perverted. Curled up in two pairs of girls' panties, the ermine had what was, for one of his species, a happy expression on his face. Sailor Pluto looked at him for a few moments more, then gestured to the Gates, which swung silently shut.

It was time to make contact.

* * *

Chamo was deep in a pleasant dream of naked girls and used underwear when he felt it. A summons. He didn't know how he knew what it was, he'd never felt anything like that before, but he knew he had to answer – whoever and whatever it was.

Struggling free of the constraining underwear, he looked around to make sure that the other occupants of the room were sound asleep, before heading outside, careful not to disturb anyone. The sky was obscured by clouds now, the moon hidden behind banks of towering cumulus promising a worsening of the weather, and the ermine hoped it wouldn't start raining before he could get back indoors.

"Chamo-san."

He spun to face whoever had spoken his name so softly yet commandingly, and his eyes widened. "P-Pluto-sama!"

"Surprised, are we?"

"Uhhh - " The ermine's normally quick mind seemed to have shut down, as he simply stared up at the most mysterious of the Senshi. They locked eyes for a few moments, then his mind started working again – at least, he believed he could hear the sound of rusty cogs turning ...

"If YOU'RE awake – what of the others? Are they active yet?"

An expression of amusement was the response to his question. "Chamo-san, whatever makes you think I have EVER been asleep? I have been active ever since the Silver Millennium," she ignored the shocked look on his face, "it is simply time for me to take a more active role."

"Why, what's important that's happening right now? What can you tell me?" He filed away the information about Pluto's continued existence since the fall of the Moon Kingdom for another time -Pluto never interfered unless events were reaching a critical time.

An expressionless face met his question. "Chamo-san, you should know by now I only say what MUST be said." She paused, looking thoughtful. "There are too many things I could say that would change the course of future events in a way that I am sworn to prevent, too many secrets that could destroy everything we're working towards. But, " she went on as his little furry face grew despondent, "I CAN tell you this – all the Senshi are here at Mahora Academy - "

"ALL of them?! Even Sa - "

"ALL of them, AND the Prince of Earth."

Chamo blinked in confusion. "Prince of Earth? Earth never HAD a Prince!"

The tall Time Guardian stared down at the ermine, a perplexed look on her face. He was supposed to be one of the two advisors to the Senshi, he was supposed to be able to inform them of knowledge they might need, of laws and customs and tactics and secrets – yet he didn't remember the Prince of Earth? "Chamo-san, is there something wrong with your memory?" she asked politely.

"Course not! I remember everything that happened back then! Uh, Pluto-sama."

"Really? Then you DO remember the romance between our Moon Princess and the Prince of Earth?"

"Yeah, of cour – ROMANCE?! No way there was a romance! Contact with Earth was all but forbidden!" For someone so small, Chamo could make a lot of noise when he wanted to, the tall girl reflected silently.

Pluto shook her head. There was obviously something wrong with the ermine's memory, some gaps in his knowledge, which meant that she couldn't rely on him one hundred percent from now on. "Chamo-san – there are things which happened back then, important things, of which you are apparently no longer cognisant. One of those things is that the Moon Princess and the Earth Prince were in love." She held up one long-fingered hand to silence the protest the little animal was about to make. "Trust me, MY memory of those events is complete. The Prince of Earth, Endymion, was in love with Princess Serenity, the Moon Princess, and she was equally besotted with her - "

"HER?!" The ermine's voice was not only getting louder, Pluto thought ruefully, but shriller too. "How can a Prince be 'HER'?! You're making this up!" he growled, then paused as he saw the change in her expression.

Pluto stared hard at Chamo until he looked away, unable to meet her gaze. "I would suggest," she said coolly, "that you keep such sentiments to yourself in future.

"Y-yes, Pluto-sama!" If he had been in human form, Chamo would have been sweating at the look he was on the receiving end of. As it was, the trembling of his small body, and the fur sticking out on end, made his fear evident indeed.

"Good. As I was saying, the Prince of Earth was in fact female, but took the title of Prince due to the fact that Earth custom at the time stated that the first-born child of the Royal family of Earth held the title crown prince – and made no differentiation between male and female offspring. Despite laws forbidding contact with Earth, the Moon Princess was headstrong and self-willed, and decided to visit earth, accompanied by her guardians. There she met Endymion, and they fell in love. Now, both stir on the threshold of awakening, and unconsciously seek one another out. But that is not the first priority."

"Eh?!"

"The Guardians, the Senshi of the Inner Planets, must awaken first, to guard the Princess when she is newly come into power. So you must now awaken the first of the Inner Senshi, their leader – Venus."

Chamo looked aghast. "There are thousands of girls here – how am I supposed to find just one, especially one who hasn't begun to remember yet?"

Pluto smirked, mush to the ermine's deep concern. "What do you remember about Venus, especially how she interacted with the other Senshi?"

"Well, she was best friends with – no, NO! It CAN'T be HER!"

Pluto just smirked more than ever.

* * *

Scented hot air filled the room in a cloud of perfumed steam, covering the mirror on the wall with mist. An air of casual opulence hung heavy, accented by gold taps, pristine white fluffy towels, immaculately polished fittings, and the huge white marble bath, filled with water whose surface was scattered with rose petals.

Relaxing in the hot water, eyes closed in pure bliss, long blonde hair spilling into the pink-coloured water, the sole occupant seemed oblivious to the gentle knocking on the door, perhaps even asleep, lulled by the warmth in which she luxuriated. It was an impression which was only broken when she spoke, in a contented voice, "what is it? I am bathing at present, can it not wait?"

A maid's timid voice came through the door."I am sorry, Miss Ayaka, but there is a call for you – from the Academy."

* * *

So, another Senshi is about to make her appearance – and our star-crossed lovers have a lot to think about! But, who is the mysterious assassin their Enemy is sending?

Okay, a bit of a slow episode that one – can't be helped, but things should speed up next chapter!

So don't forget - Tune in next time for another exciting episode of - 'Pretty Schoolgirl Soldiers - Sailor Moon!'


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